in the field

Borrowing equipment from the department to run experiments in places other than the official experiment room counts as going Into The Field!

Visions of tents being trampled by curious cattle in the early hours of the morning? Of sifting through artefacts in an ancient burial site? Of being speared by offended natives upon failing to use the correct honorifics for their most senior chief?

Sadly, the most demanding thing it means for me is negotiating room bookings on the campus of a different university. And to be honest, the only way in which this counts as demanding is because the room is only bookable for one morning a week, meaning I have to strictly ration myself to three participants per week on this campus ... demanding huh. Oh, and I did my ankle in, catching the bus out there the time before last, if that counts.

However, the rationing notwithstanding, data collection is progressing relatively well - I've nearly reached my quota for the number of participants in the experimental group, and recruitment for the control group will hopefully start in the next week or so. This means, that for the first time ever in nearly three years, something might actually go according to schedule, and I might just be able to start writing up early in the new year. Can't wait!